


Meet Me in the Middle, the Middle of the Town

by Chash



Series: No Distance That Could Hold Us Back [4]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-30
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2019-02-08 15:41:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12867738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chash/pseuds/Chash
Summary: Given their relationship was long distance for the first year they were together, it doesn't make sense that Bellamy finds it so hard to be away from Clarke for the weekend. He should be good at this.Mostly, though, he just likes having her around.





	Meet Me in the Middle, the Middle of the Town

**Author's Note:**

> Fill for [pollychurchill](https://pollychurchill.tumblr.com/)!

“Why does this feel so shitty?” Clarke asks, pushing clothes into her suitcase like they’ve personally offended her. “It’s not even that long.”

“No,“ Bellamy agrees. “But still. You’re leaving.”

“For four days. It’s barely even a trip.”

“It’s enough.”

She smiles, flopping down next to him. “So, you aren’t happy either.”

He shrugs. “It’s going to be fine. But yeah, I’m not thrilled about it. You moved in. I like knowing you’re here.”

“Yeah. I know we can be apart, it just feels like we shouldn’t have to be anymore.”

“Exactly. We’re not long distance, so we should be together.”

“It’s just a long weekend,” she says, sounding more like she’s reminding herself than him. “It’s going to be fun.”

“For you. I’m still just going to be teaching—“

“Two of the days,” she teases, poking him in the ribs. “And then you get a normal weekend. I’m the one who has to be in a wedding.”

“Yeah, that sucks. You’re right. I’m glad I couldn’t take the time off to go with you.”

She kisses his shoulder. “You’re not.”

“No, I’m not. But I’m going to keep telling myself that.”

“I’ll be home on Sunday. It’s not even four full days.”

“I know.” He smiles. “Throwback to our early relationship. Texting all the time.”

“That’s the plan, yeah.” This time, she kisses him on the lips, and then she pushes herself up to get back to packing. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

“Definitely not. But you’ll be back. So it’s fine.”

“Yeah,” she agrees. “I’ll be back.”

*

When Clarke booked the tickets for the wedding, they’d both assumed it would be fine. Bellamy couldn’t go, but he didn’t need to. Clarke could survive a few days on her own, and by the time the wedding rolled around they would have been living together for almost six months.

It shouldn’t be hard at all.

She’s working half a day on Thursday and going to the airport from there, so they say goodbye that morning. And even though she hasn’t actually left yet, his morning still  _feels_  emptier. He’s not going to see her until Sunday; it doesn’t matter that she’s technically still in town.

**Clarke** : Got to the airport  
I definitely have negative connotations here  
Connotations?

**Me** : Associations  
Getting lunch?

**Clarke** : Looking for something, yeah  
I might just get a Dunkin breakfast sandwich  
Lean into the bad memories

**Me** : That’s the spirit  
At least the wedding will be fun  
You like these people, right?

**Clarke** : Yeah, I know the both bride and groom and they’re cool  
I’m happy for them

**Me** : See?  
At least you’re not going to a wedding you’re miserable about  
Or opposed to

**Clarke** : Honestly that might be more fun  
Who doesn’t want to sabotage a wedding?  
But that would be easier with you along

**Me** : We could definitely fuck up a wedding, yeah  
Okay, class is starting  
Tell me when you’re on the plane

**Clarke** : Will do  
Love you

**Me** : Love you too  
Have a safe flight

He manages to ignore his phone through his afternoon classes, except during the passing period. He knows that Clarke’s flight is on time, she got on it safely, and went into airplane mode. In a few hours, she’ll arrive, and then they can talk again.

**Me** : Why doesn’t knowing I’m overreacting make it better?

**Miller** : Because you’re a mess  
What happened?

**Me** : Clarke’s out of town for the weekend

**Miller** : That sucks

**Me** : Yeah?

**Miller** : You like having her around  
I get it

**Me** : I should be good at it, right?  
We were long distance for so long

**Miller** : You can be good at it and not like it

**Me** : Yeah  
Thanks for the support  
You can tell me I’m a loser any time now

**Miller** : I’ll wait until Clarke gets back  
Hope your weekend isn’t too rough

**Me** : Me too  
Thanks

*

He and Clarke video chat that night, which feels a little bit pathetic, but–she’s his girlfriend and he loves her. It’s not a bad thing. He’s never understood those TV shows where being away from one’s significant other is supposed to be some awesome victory. If he didn’t want to spend most of his time with Clarke, he wouldn’t have asked her to move in in the first place. Being alone is fine, but the whole point of dating, as far as he’s concerned, is to find someone he always wants to be with.

**Octavia** : You’re coming over to dinner tonight

**Me** : Is Lincoln cooking?  
If the answer is no, I’m not coming

**Octavia** : When do I cook?  
Come on  
But I know you’re just wallowing in misery

**Me** : I’m in school right now  
The wallowing is tomorrow

**Octavia** : As long as you’ve got a plan  
Come over for dinner so I can make fun of you before it gets really sad

**Me** : Love you too  
What time?

The wedding is in Colorado, so Clarke is not only not around, but in a different timezone again. They never talk that much when he’s at work, but their schedules are even less compatible than usual right now. She’s got responsibilities too, with the wedding, so most of her updates are things like,  _I never want to be a bridesmaid again_  and  _Let’s have a simple wedding, okay?_

He stares at that one for a long time, and finally just replies,  _Whatever you want_.

It’s not as if they haven’t discussed marriage before, at least in broad terms. Clarke doesn’t care much about marriage as an institution, but Bellamy’s always liked the idea, so they agreed they’d probably do it, someday. Whenever they decided they wanted to and it made sense, from a legal and social perspective.

It’s maybe not the kind of thing he should be feeling romantic about, but she’s his girlfriend and she’s planning to marry him. It’s hard not to feel romantic.

Besides, practicality is a turn-on for him.

**Clarke** : Everyone is asking me when it’s our turn by the way  
So get ready for frustrated texts about that  
And also a lot of messages about what I don’t want for our wedding

**Me** : I thought we’d just hit a courthouse, honestly  
Also isn’t it kind of soon for wedding pressure?  
It’s not like we’ve been dating that long

**Clarke** : Yeah, but I moved across the country for you  
People tend to think that means we’re serious

**Me** : We are serious  
Tell them we’re fundraising for a nice ceremony  
See if they’ll give you money

**Clarke** : They know my mom would pay for it  
Besides, if I did that we might have to have a nice wedding  
Octavia said you were going to her place for dinner?

**Me** : Yeah  
On my way now  
Everyone’s worried about me

**Clarke** : No one’s worried about me  
Assholes

**Me** : You’re off doing cool, exciting stuff  
I’m alone and miserable

**Clarke** : Yeah, but you’re home  
I’m in a hotel

**Me** : Sucks to be both of us, I guess

**Clarke** : Obviously  
Have fun at dinner  
Try not to miss me too much

**Me** : I’m not going to put a ton of effort into that  
But I’ll let O make fun of me for being pathetic

**Clarke** : Close enough  
Send me a shirtless pic so I can brag to my friends about how hot you are

**Me** : If you don’t already have shirtless pictures on your phone, you have no one to blame but yourself  
Love you

**Clarke** : Love you too  
We have bachelorette stuff starting soon so get pumped for drunk texts

**Me** : Can’t wait

*

Octavia greets him with, "Shouldn’t you be good at this?”

“I didn’t think you thought I was good at anything. Hi, O.”

“Hi. I figured you would be fine with your girlfriend leaving for the weekend.”

“I think we’re still getting over our separation anxiety. Give it like two years, we’ll be fine.”

“You remember how Lincoln was in the Peace Corps, right?”

“I remember. Do you want him to leave again?”

“No,” she admits. “But we do our own thing more.”

He shrugs. “All couples are different, right?”

“Yeah,” she agrees, and doesn’t mention it again until after dinner and some wine. “I just don’t get why I’m not like you, sometimes.”

“Like me how?” he asks, frowning. He’s lost the thread of conversation.

“Long distance sucked for me too, but not like it sucks for you. I don’t like when Lincoln is gone, but—“

“It’s not a bad thing,” he says. “People are different. And you guys didn’t start off long distance. So it’s different.”

“You think?”

“It’s clearly different,” he points out. “I know you love Lincoln as much as I love Clarke.”

“You do, don’t you?” He cocks his head, and O says. “You love her so much. You’re going to marry her.”

Apparently it’s marriage weekend. “Yeah, I am.”

“See, it took me way longer to decide that about Lincoln.”

“Which I don’t mind,” Lincoln notes. “It isn’t a competition. And if it was, Bellamy wouldn’t necessarily be winning.”

Octavia grins. “I love you because you know you need to assure me of that.”

“The only reason. I think it’s sweet,” he adds. “That Bellamy misses her so much.”

“Thanks. I really am going to marry her,” he adds. It’s nice, to say it. “Whenever she wants.”

Octavia pats his shoulder. “Yeah, Bell. I know.”

*

Because he’s basically a grumpy old man who wakes up before six most mornings, Bellamy doesn’t tend to stay up late, even on weekends. He heads to bed at eleven his time, when Clarke has only just started with the party stuff. She tells him to sleep well, but she’s going to be drinking most of the night.

So he’s expecting a lot of messages to catch up on when he wakes up, and she does not disappoint.

**Clarke** : I don’t understand the appeal of strippers  
Like okay  
Porn? Good  
Naked people good!  
But naked strangers taking their clothes off for me is weird  
Also honestly  
You’re just soooooo much hotter  
Is that a weird compliment?  
You’re hotter than the stripper  
Anyway you are  
You’re the hottest  
I love you  
I don’t like watching strangers take their clothes off for me  
Apparently this makes me a buzzkill  
You don’t think I’m a buzzkill right?  
I’m a fun drunk  
We have fun  
I love you  
Did you know Gaia designed her own shot for this?  
I can feel it rotting my teeth  
It’s just like chocolate and whipped cream and vodka  
I think when we get married we should just have a giant party  
But not a bachelorette party  
Because if I’m having an awesome party I want you THERE  
You know?  
What’s the point of getting super drunk without you?  
You’re my favorite person  
I miss you  
I know that’s sad  
It hasn’t been long  
But my life’s just better when I’m with you  
I like being with you  
I love you so much  
I’m really drunk  
I’m putting so much effort into spelling everything right  
Autocorrect is working overtime  
But you’re asleep  
So you don’t know how long this is taking  
Anyway  
I love you  
You’re the best person  
In the world  
And I can’t wait to be home  
Have fun with this when you wake up  
I’m drinking water and taking care of myself  
I’ll be okay  
Talk to you tomorrow  
I love you

The messages are accompanied by a few selfies, Clarke grinning with friends, and it doesn’t exactly make it better that he’s not there, but it doesn’t sting like it used to.

She’ll be back tomorrow. .

**Me** : I love you too  
Sleep it off

For a second he hesitates, but it’s so easy to not worry. He’s her favorite; it’s not a big deal.

**Me** : Hey, when you get back, I think we should talk about getting married  
Figure out what we want to do  
Set a date  
That stuff

Her response comes when he’s looking for a ring.

**Clarke** : Sounds good  
I’m kind of hungover

**Me** : Shocking  
Going to be okay for the wedding?

**Clarke** : This one or ours?

**Me** : This one  
I fully expect you to be wasted for ours

**Clarke** : That’s the plan  
It’ll be awesome

**Me** : Yeah  
I think it will

*

He meets her at the airport the next day, and if they were different people, he’d propose there. It would be what happened in a movie, this grand culmination of their whole relationship, his getting down on one knee in the same terminal where they first met. It’s romantic.

Clarke would absolutely hate all the attention, though, so he hugs her and kisses her hair in the baggage claim, and then, when they’re on the bus, he says, “I got you a ring.”

She smiles. “When?”

“Yesterday. I figured if I was proposing, I should back it up.”

“That was your proposal? The text?”

“Yup. Did you want a better one?”

She leans her head on his shoulder, smiling. “I want to see the ring.”

He pulls it out of his bag and offers it to her, watching with surprising calm as she opens the box and examines the ring.

“Good?” he asks.

“I love it.” She gives it back and holds her hand out for him to slide the ring onto her finger.

“Good to have you home,” he murmurs, tugging her close.

“Yeah,” she agrees. “The best.”


End file.
